Center pull towel dispenser method and apparatus

Abstract

A center pull towel mechanism having an adjustable iris system where a locking system is configured to enclose the surfaces defining the towel iris. In one form the adjustable iris system automatically adjusts the cross-sectional opening with an adjustable member positioned in the transverse rearward portion with respect to the towlette members interposed therein.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE[0001]Straight pull towel dispensing mechanisms have been utilized to allow dispensing of rolled paper towels which have perforations at prescribed lateral locations. Oftentimes a straight pull apparatus extracts the towel members from an inner open cylindrical area of the towel where the paper towel folds to a lower opening passing therethrough. A certain amount of friction acting upon the paper towel will break the perforation and one of the towel members will disengage from the roll of towels and a portion of the adjacent upper towel member will protrude through the opening of the towel dispensing apparatus.[0002]Oftentimes paper quality and the general qualities of the paper have a tendency to provide different dynamics of the tearing action. For example, in some cases the paper may be thicker or the fiber matrix itself may be stronger. Further, the type of perforations can differ in cut length and attachment length in the lateral direction. In partic...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

In the original center pull designs, a dispenser used in hard roll of towels and pulled the paper up through the center through an eye of a hole, and it was difficult to load because the user needed two hands to load the item by threading the paper from the top and pulling it out through the lower hole in the bottom.

Oftentimes the orifice was a fixed size, so if there was any issue with the quality or thickness of the paper or the change in the idiosyncrasies, there were problems related to tearing at a proper length to have a rather short extended tail or one which is too long.

Because the adjustment member was in the rearward portion, this made the process very inconvenient and increased difficulty in determining which direction of rotation would tighten the orifice.

Further, paper is very abrasive and orifices tend to wear, such that an adjustment of an orifice may need to be performed in some forms during the use of a paper towel roll.

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